Chapter 237

Zane walked slowly to the floor-to-ceiling window. The lights in the yard were on, casting a calm, serene glow. He dialed Rowena’s number.
Zane decided it was best to give Rowena a heads-up now. He didn’t want her to make things difficult for Annalise if he eventually ended up with her. Rowena curiously asked, “Why are you calling so late? What’s going on?”
“I’m in love with someone,” Zane replied, not intending to hide anything. “Mom, when I bring her home, I hope you’ll treat her well.”
Rowena sounded surprised. “When did you get a girlfriend?”
Zane answered casually, “I haven’t even asked her out yet. I’m just giving you a heads-up.”
Rowena suddenly had a bad feeling. “This wouldn’t happen to be your nanny, would it?”
Zane corrected her, “She’s not a nanny. She’s Willow’s mom.”
The confirmation made Rowena bristle. “Absolutely not! I won’t agree to this!”
“You don’t get a say. It’s my choice,” Zane replied calmly.
Rowena continued to argue, “She’s been married with a child. Her family situation isn’t great, and she’s not right for you!”
“I don’t see it that way,” Zane replied coolly.
After a pause, he added, “Let me warn you don’t cause her any trouble. If you do, I’ll cut off everyone’s allowance.”
Rowena was taken aback by how firmly Zane stood by Annalise. “Is she really worth it?”
“Yes,” Zane said without a hint of hesitation.
Rowena heard the beep of the phone and set it aside. After thinking it over, she was sure that her good son shouldn’t be wasted on someone like Annalise.
She silently decided to arrange a meeting with Annalise tomorrow, where she would make it clear that Zane wasn’t someone she should be interested in. She was determined to make sure Annalise understood her place. With that thought, Rowena’s mood lifted slightly.
…
When Zachary returned home, Chloe immediately rushed over. “Did you eat outside?”
Zachary forced a smile. “Mr. Thompson ordered takeout for me. I’m full. Don’t worry, Grandma.”
Chloe watched him closely, sensing something was off. “You’ve been looking down lately. What happened?”
Zachary shook his head. “Nothing.”
“No. Something’s off,” Chloe pressed. “You and Jessica used to be inseparable. You’d rather be with her than with your mother. Now that your mother’s out of the picture, shouldn’t you be sticking close to Jessica?” Zachary remained silent.
Chloe continued, “Yet here you are, choosing to stay with me instead of going back. Is it because you’ve stopped liking her?”
At first, Zachary thought keeping everything bottled up wasn’t so bad. After hearing his grandmother’s concern, a deep sense of grievance welled up in him.
“At first, I thought Jessica would treat me like Mommy did,” Zachary said, his voice trembling. “But after Daddy and Mommy divorced, everything changed. Once she moved in, she’d snap at me whenever Daddy wasn’t home. All her kindness was just an act.” His tears flowed harder as he continued, “After seeing her true colors, I realized I’d made a terrible mistake.”
Chloe’s heart ached as she saw him cry. “It’s normal for kids to make mistakes. You just need to apologize and show you’re willing to change.”
Zachary replied, “Mommy won’t forgive me. I…”
He knew this all too well, and the thought tore at him. He had done too many things that hurt Annalise.
He couldn’t bear watching how gentle and loving Annalise was toward Willow. Each time he saw them together, it felt like his heart was being torn apart.
At that moment, Zachary finally understood the depth of Annalise’s suffering back then. The pain of being betrayed by the person you love most was unbearable. Zachary bit his lip.
Chloe asked, “Didn’t you dislike your mother?”